Automatic table-leaf supporter



(No Model.)

J. L. ULSI-I.

AUTOMATIC TABLE LEAF SUPPORT.

Patented Sept. 25, 1888.

ilnrrno STATES PATENT @rricn.

JOHN L. 'ULSH, OF SOUTH XVABASII, INDIANA.

AUTOMATiC TABLE-LEAF SUPPORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 390,145, dated September 25, 1888'.

Application filed January 13, 1888. Serial No. 2fl0,6fi0. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN I1. ULsH, of the town of South \Vabash, in the county of VVabash and State of Indiana, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Table-Leaf Supporters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in table-leaf supports.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap, simple, and automatic table support which shall be quick and sure in operation, extremely durable, and not easily broken.

\Vith these endsin view my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, more fully described hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents an end elevation of a table,showiug a leaf raised and supported; Fig. 2, a side elevation of a table,showing the leaf and supporting-bracket; Fig. 3, an under view of a portion of atable,showing the leafraised, the supporting-bracket being folded laterally upon the same to the position it assumes when the leaf is down; and Fig. at is a vertical section of a portion of the table,showing the rel ative positions of the serrated plate and the plate which bears against its lower edge, said plates being shown in cross-section.

In the drawings, the reference-letter A represents a table or the like provided with the usual leaf, A, hinged or pivoted to the same in any manner.

B represents aswinging supporting-bracket pivoted to the under side of the leaf and provided with a downwardly-extending arm adapted to engage the table and support the leafin ahorizontalposition. The supportingbracket is preferably cast or otherwise formed in one piece, and is composed of a straight body portion, b, which extends from the inner or hinged edge of the leaf outwardly in an in clined position or oblique line toward the outer its opposite or inner end, at the inner edge of v the leaf, said body portion is provided with a downwardly or laterally extending arm or supporting portion, b which is suitably braced, as shown, and is provided on its lower inner edge with an inwardly-extending engaging lug or tongue, I)", for the purpose hereinafter to appear.

0 represents a guard secured to the leaf at its ends and surrounding the outer end or handle portion of the supporting-bracket, and preferably being bent or inclined outwardly, as shown, thus preventing the supportingbracket from being accidentally forced from engagement with the table portion A.

A serrated plate or segment, D, is rigidly secured to a vertical side or portion of the table below the hinged or pivotal points of the leaf and so that the tongue or lug 1) upon the supporting-bracket will pass over its outer side as the leaf is raised. The lower portion of the plate D, over which the tongue 1) passes, is provided with vertical serrations or corrugations, and is slightly raised or bent outwardly at or about the center portion of the plate near where the serrations begin, as clearly shown.

A plate, F, is placed upon the lower portion of the table to brace thelower edge of the serrated plate D, and said plate can be formed integral with the serrated plate or made sepa rate from the same, as found most desirable.

It is obvious that when the leaf is lowered the supporting-bracket is folded in laterally by its handle against the under side of the leaf, the downwardly-extending supportingarm and its engaging-tongue swinging upwardly and out of engagement with the serrated plate, and when the leaf is raised the lower or engaging portion of the supportingbrace will automatically and of its own weight swing outwardly against the serrated plate and downwardly,bearing upon the side of the same, pass the raised portion and serrations upon the same to the position shown in Fig. 1,

in which position it will be held by the serralions and raised portion of the plate.

By placing the supporting-bracket upon the under side of the leal'in an oblique position the are or circle in which the tongue I) swings will begin or end in a vertical plane some distance away from the upper portion of the plate; but as the tongue passes downward it swings inward toward the plate until at the lower portion of the plate it bears tightly against its outer surface and is held firmly in position by the serrations, but can be readily disengaged from the same, when it is desired to drop the leaf, by slightly raising the leaf and swinging the bracket sidewise by the handle I).

. It is clearly evident that numerous slight changes might be made in the form and arrangement of the parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my inven- Lion; hence I do not wish to limit myself strictly to the precise construction herein set forth, but consider myself entitled to all such changes.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1.. In a table-leaf support, the combination, with the supportirig-bracket pivoted to the under side of the leaf to swing laterally and 30 provided with an arm to engage the table, of

a guard secured to the under side of the leaf at its ends and extending around said bracket near its outer end,for the purpose substantially as described.

2. In an automatic table-leaf support, the combination, with the serrated plate secured to the table, of a laterallyswinging leaf-supporting bracket consisting of a body portion extending obliquely from the hinged or inner end of the leaf outwardly and mounted to 1'0- tatc in suitable hearings on the under side of said leaf, ahandle formed on the outer end of the body portion, a downwardly or laterally OXtending supporting-arm at the inner end of said body portion, adapted to automatically swing inwardly and laterally when the leaf is raised, and a lug or tongue on the lower portion of the supporting-arm and adapted to engage the serrations of said plate, and a guard for the supporting-bracket secured to the under side of the leaf, substantially as de scribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own invention I alfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN L. ULSl-I.

\Vitnesses:

WARREN BIoLEn, JonN ll. DIoKEN. 

